Welcome to Chlum u Třeboně!
The Chlum Historical Trail is a project created by the students of the local primary school. The trail has six stops and takes you on a one-kilometre walk starting at the Hejtman–South campsite, past the chateau, across the Hejtman pond dam, along the Way of the Cross by the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the primary school, and finally to the community Rain Garden.
Each stop is dedicated to an important historical figure connected to Chlum and a place related to their life.
On this website, you can read more about each figure, listen to fictional interviews with them (voiced by the students), and even play our trail game — just collect clues at each stop and unlock a little reward box at the end!
We hope you have a great time!
František Hrubín – the poet who found inspiration in Chlum u Třeboně
František Hrubín (1910–1971) was not only one of the most important Czech poets of the 20th century but also a man deeply in love with the South Bohemian landscape. Chlum u Třeboně held a special place in his heart—he visited regularly and drew inspiration from its peaceful charm. The ponds mirroring the sky, quiet alleys, and summer dusks of Chlum left a deep imprint on his poetry, just like his memories of childhood and youth.
Hrubín’s literary legacy is rich and varied. As a poet of love and nature, he captivated readers with collections such as Romance pro křídlovku (Romance for the Flugelhorn) and Řeka nejmenší (The Smallest River). The first tells a delicate story of a summer romance, while the second captures the simple beauty of the landscape and its ever-changing moods. Besides poetry, he also wrote prose—his Tales from the Stump House of Křemílek and Vochomůrka remain beloved children’s stories known not only from books but also from animated bedtime TV shows. And his play August Sunday (Srpnová neděle) still resonates today as a powerful portrayal of human relationships.
Hrubín was a poet in heart and soul—and through his verses, Chlum u Třeboně lives on as a landscape of memories, longing, and fleeting beauty.
Read the article about František Hrubín. What is the name of his play that powerfully reflects the relationships of people living in a small town?
- October Tuesday (A=7)
- Saturday Soup (A=4)
- August Sunday (A=2)
Note down the correct number A and continue to the next station.
Mikuláš Ruthard of Malešov – the man who mastered water
Mikuláš Ruthard was a renowned builder of waterworks and a skilled pond designer. He came from the minor noble family of Malešov near Kutná Hora, but around 1540 he served as burgrave in Velhartice. From 1560 onward, he worked for the powerful House of Rožmberk, who greatly valued his engineering talents. In 1564, he contributed to the construction of the Vdovec pond, where he proved his skills, and just a year later, he was appointed governor (hejtman) of the Třeboň estate and chief fishmaster.
His most significant achievement is the pond system in the area around Chlum u Třeboně—a carefully planned network of ponds and canals designed for efficient water management. The key elements of this system are Hejtman Pond and Staňkovský Pond, both of which were created by Ruthard and still rank among the largest and most important bodies of water in the region.
Ruthard’s work laid the foundation for the future development of South Bohemian fish farming and even influenced his more famous successor, Jakub Krčín. His engineering legacy continues to shape the South Bohemian landscape to this day.
Read the article about Mikuláš Ruthard. What is the name of his famous successor?
- Jakub Smrčín (B=3)
- Jakub Krčín (B=5)
- Jakub Křičím (B=6)
Note down the correct number B and continue to the next station.
Ferdinand d’Este – the archduke who left Chlum to meet his fate
Archduke Franz Ferdinand d’Este (1863–1914) is still remembered today as the man whose assassination sparked the First World War. What many don’t realize, however, is that his fateful journey to Sarajevo began right here in Chlum u Třeboně—a place he loved and where he spent some of his most peaceful moments.
Chlum served as his personal retreat, a refuge where he stayed with his wife Sophie and their children. In the local chateau, he found a welcome escape from courtly intrigue and the strict protocols that often burdened him as heir to the Habsburg throne. Hunting in the deep South Bohemian forests, rides through the countryside, and quiet time with his family meant more to him than all the pomp of Vienna’s salons. It was here in Chlum that he spent his final days before embarking on the journey that would change history.
On June 23, 1914, Franz Ferdinand left Chlum u Třeboně and traveled via Vienna to Sarajevo. There, on June 28, he was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip—an event that ignited a global conflict. Thus ended the archduke’s story in tragedy—and Chlum remains the place from which he set out to meet his destiny.
Read the article about Ferdinand d’Este. What is the name of the city where the archduke was assassinated?
- Sandero (C=9)
- Sarajevo (C=8)
- Sarande (C=7)
Note down the correct number C and continue to the next station.
Johann Franz Count of Fünfkirchen – the man who survived his own funeral
Johann Franz Count of Fünfkirchen (1709–1782) was a Bohemian nobleman from the Fünfkirchen family, which owned estates in South Bohemia. After the death of his father, Johann Leopold Ernst of Fünfkirchen, he inherited the estate of Chlum u Třeboně, where he left a notable mark on history.
In 1737, Count Fünfkirchen went with his architect to inspect a newly built shooting range near the chateau. While they were inside, the vaulted ceiling suddenly collapsed on top of them. Buried under the rubble, the count believed he would not survive. He prayed to the Virgin Mary to save his life—and, as if by a miracle, he did survive. That same year, he undertook a pilgrimage of gratitude to the famous shrine in Mariazell, Styria. Inspired by the basilica he saw there, he had the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary built on a hill in Chlum u Třeboně between 1737 and 1745.
The dramatic scene of the ceiling collapse is even depicted in a fresco in the church’s dome. Johann Franz was married twice and had several children, who carried on the Fünfkirchen family line.
Read the article about Count Fünfkirchen. What inspired him in Mariazell?
- a basilica (D=3)
- a basil plant (D=4)
- a basilisk (D=5)
Note down the correct number D and continue to the next station.
Jiří Niedl – a teacher with a passion for bugs
Jiří Niedl (born April 14, 1920, Prague – died April 11, 1986, Chlum u Třeboně) was a Czech educator, amateur entomologist, and herpetologist, known as a writer and popularizer of entomology and terraristics. He graduated from the Libeň Gymnasium and the K. S. Amerling Teacher Training Institute in Prague, finishing in 1939. He began teaching in 1940 at primary schools in Prague and expanded his qualifications in 1946 to teach at middle schools. Shortly after, he moved to the South Bohemian town of Chlum u Třeboně, where he worked as a teacher and later as the principal of the elementary school, where his wife Marie Niedlová also taught. In 1949, he founded a vivarium club, which gradually developed into a herpetological station focused on the breeding and study of reptiles and amphibians. For his pedagogical work, he was awarded the national honor "Exemplary Teacher" in 1970.
From childhood, he showed a strong interest in biology, especially insects, reptiles, and amphibians. He grew up in the Prague district of Bohnice, which at the time was rich in natural diversity. Already as a student, in 1934, he became a member of the Czechoslovak Entomological Society, collaborating with professional scientists and focusing his research on ground beetles. Throughout his life, he collected entomological material not only in Czechoslovakia but also abroad—undertaking research trips to Bulgaria, Romania, former Yugoslavia, the Central Asian countries of the Soviet Union, and Egypt.
He published the results of his research in scientific journals and books. Among his most significant works are Terraristics in a Corner of Living Nature (1972), which popularized the keeping of reptiles and amphibians; the travelogue Deserts, Jungles, and Mountains of My Dreams (1979); and his last work Enchanted by Bugs and Snakes (1986), published shortly before his death. Jiří Niedl left a lasting impact not only on Czech education but also on the popularization of entomology and terraristics, inspiring many future natural scientists.
Read the article about Jiří Niedl. What does his last work deal with?
- ponds and lakes (E=2)
- buses and planes (E=8)
- bugs and snakes (E=4)
Note down the correct number E and continue to the last station.
Dušan Vančura (1937–2020) was a prominent Czech musician, lyricist, and singer, best known as a long-time member of the legendary group Spirituál kvintet. He was born in Uzhhorod, spent his childhood in Dačice and Pelhřimov, and later lived much of his life in Prague, where he graduated from the University of Electrical Engineering. However, from a young age, his true passion was music. Before joining Spirituál kvintet, he performed with various musical ensembles and was active as a composer and lyricist.
In 1969, he became a member of Spirituál kvintet, where he remained for more than fifty years. His deep baritone voice became a defining part of the group’s unique sound. He also wrote and translated numerous lyrics, helping to introduce international spirituals to Czech audiences. Dušan Vančura was admired not only for his musical talent but also for his natural charm, humor, and kindness.
A significant part of his life was also devoted to the choir Sejkorky from Chlum u Třeboně, which he founded together with his wife Zuzana Vančurová. Under their leadership, the choir became well-loved not only in the region but also at national festivals, contributing to the development of the local musical tradition.
Vančura’s legacy lives on in the songs that continue to move listeners with their depth and poetry. In the later years of his life, he performed them with his group Antikvartet.
Read the article about Dušan Vančura. What was the name of the children's choir that Dušan Vančura founded in Chlum u Třeboně together with his wife?
- Lékorky (F=3)
- Ponorky (F=4)
- Sejkorky (F=5)
Note down the correct number F. You now have all the clues needed to unlock the reward box, which can be found on the info board at the final station. The combination lock has three digits, which you can get by a very simple calculation:
(A+B) (C–D) (E+F)
If you’ve been reading carefully and doing the math right, you’ll be able to open the box, take one reward, and then lock it again.
Thank you for walking the Chlum Historical Trail – we hope you had a great time!
It All Started with an Idea
At the beginning, there was an idea – no one really remembers whose it was anymore, but that doesn’t matter. What followed were a series of meetings between the school management, the town council, and the school parliament, and then the decision to apply for the Little Leader project announced by MAS Třeboňsko.
We went to Třeboň with a prepared presentation of our project, “Chlum Historical Trail”, and two secret weapons – Anežka Šnorková and Tobiáš Tetík, two members of the school parliament, who did a fantastic job presenting the project.
Thanks in part to their great performance, we won first place and received funding from MAS to bring our idea to life. Then the real work began. We started gathering information about important historical figures and places. Choosing the trail route wasn’t too difficult. Then we divided the work among the school parliament members – each student was assigned a person or place to research and to create a short biography.
The students also came up with fictional interviews with historical figures. After many, many meetings (the school parliament met 34 times about the Trail!), we recorded those interviews – with every student taking on the role of one of the historical characters. We guided the children through the entire preparation process, discussing every aspect of the Trail with them. They designed the info boards and the Trail’s logo, helped shape the accompanying game, and always had the final say on how the Trail would look.
All in all, the project we created with the students took over 200 hours of work.
We hope you enjoy your walk along the Chlum Historical Trail.
Tereza Suchá
Honza Březovský
HTML Maker